Premium price for Ford Ranger PHEV ute

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• Pricing
• Powertrain and outputs
• Charging, range and capability
• Vehicle to Load system
• EV drive modes

Ford Australia has confirmed pricing and specifications for its Ranger plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) ute with the four-variant line-set to start from $71,990 when it launches here mid-year.

Pricing starts at $71,990 for the XLT, rises to $75,990 for the Ranger PHEV Sport, $79,990 for the Ranger PHEV Wildtrak, and tops out at $86,990 for the launch edition Ranger PHEV Stormtrak.

Pricing comparison

The price of the new Ranger PHEV is well north of the BYD Shark 6 which beat Ford to the punch by launching Australia’s first PHEV ute earlier this year priced at $57,900 (plus on-road costs).

It’s also more expensive than the recently launched Cannon Alpha PHEV which is priced between $63,990 and $68,990 driveaway.

But Ford is confident that the Ranger, which has been Australia’s best-selling ute for the past two years, has the reputation, technology and backing of its nationwide dealer network to win over fleet and private buyers, despite its higher price.

Powertrain and outputs

The PHEV variant introduces a fifth powertrain option to the Ranger lineup, with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine that Ford says is tuned for optimised hybrid efficiency to produce 138kW at 4600rpm, and 411Nm at 2700rpm.

The combustion engine mates with a 75kW electric motor (e-motor) and 11.8kWh (usable) battery, with the combination driving through a 10-speed automatic gearbox to deliver what Ford says is the off-road and towing capability customers in this segment require.

Combining both the combustion and electric power results in total system outputs of 207kW at 4,600rpm, and 697Nm at 2,500rpm, which means the Ranger PHEV boasts more power and torque than the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine used elsewhere in the range.

The new petrol-electric variant also produces more torque than the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 fitted to the Ranger Raptor, although the Raptor’s 292kW of power still trumps the PHEV.

Key rival the BYD Shark 6 combines a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and single-speed automatic transmission with two electric motors – one powering each axle – and draws its power from a 29.58kWh LFP battery.

Charging, range and capability

The combination delivers combined outputs of 321kW/650Nm, up to 80km of pure electric range, combined-cycle fuel-consumption of 2.0L/100km and total driving range of 800km.

The Ranger PHEV, meanwhile, boast 49km of pure electric drive and combined cycle fuel consumption of 2.9L/100km, although Ford has stopped short of quoting a total combined range for its new ute at this stage.

A new Modular Hybrid Transmission (MHT) integrates Ranger PHEV’s e-motor between the engine and transmission, allowing hybrid driving.

The traction battery is packaged between specially engineered frame rails with the battery able to be fully charged overnight using a standard household plug.

The Ranger’s maximum charge rate of 3.5kW AC means it can charge from 0-100% in 4 hours on a 3.5kW (15A@230kW) charger, or 6 hours 53 minutes on a 2.3kW (10A@230V) charge.

The BYD Shark 6 can charge at up to 7kW AC in around five hours, but can also charge at up to 55kW on a DC fast charger, which can charge the battery from 30% to 80% in about 25 minutes.

While the Shark 6 looks to have the Ranger PHEV’s measure in several areas, Ford’s trump card is the fact the Ranger PHEV maintains the ICE-powered Ranger’s full 3,500kg braked towing capacity, where the BYD ute is rated to tow just 2,500kg.

The Ranger PHEV also has a payload, or carrying capacity, advantage over its rival, with the entry-grade XLT boasting a 973kg of payload compared to 790kg for the BYD Shark 6, although this falls to just 808kg in the heavier and better equipped Ranger PHEV Stormtrak.

A unique load box design also means the Ranger PHEV’s tray is longer at 1,638mm than its regular Ranger stablemates and can accommodate two European pallets, where the Shark 6 has a shorter 1,520mm long tray that is also slightly narrower.

Ford is also claiming a likely off-road capability advantage over the BYD courtesy of its MHT setup which it says allows the Ranger PHEV to benefit from the same go-anywhere abilities as the existing Ranger lineup.

Like its 3.0-litre V6-powered turbodiesel stablemates, the Ranger PHEV utilises a full-time 4WD system with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case offering drivers the choice of 2H, 4A, 4H, and 4L driving modes.

The Ranger PHEV also features a locking rear differential for additional off-road capability in rough terrain.

This should give Ford PHEV a handy off-road advantage over the Shark 6, which has no mechanical connection between its front and rear axles and no cross-axle differential locks, instead relying on electronic traction control systems to deliver its all-wheel drive.

Vehicle to Load system

Another handy feature of the Ranger PHEV is its Pro Power Onboard system with every variant equipped with a 6.9kW V2L (Vehicle to Load) system.

The system uses the 11.8kWh traction battery to provide energy to power worksite equipment, campsites, or even a caravan directly from twin 15-amp, 3.45kW power sockets in the tray, and a single 10-amp, 2.3kW socket in the cabin.

“Pro Power Onboard is a game changer for Ranger owners,” said Chief Program Engineer, Ford Ranger PHEV, Phil Millar.

“Now instead of having to carry a heavy generator or batteries that take up precious room and can often be very noisy, a Ranger PHEV owner can plug virtually anything they might want to power directly into the vehicle itself.”

EV drive modes

Drivers can choose when to use the Ranger’s electric driving capability via an ‘EV’ button in the centre console which allows drivers to select from four EV drive modes.

In ‘Auto EV’ the Ranger PHEV chooses between the combustion engine and battery to prioritise maximum power or efficiency.
‘EV Now’ gives drivers the option to drive on battery power alone, providing maximum fuel saving.

‘EV Later’ prioritises the combustion engine to maintain the Ranger’s current state of charge, such as when you might be headed to a worksite or campsite and wanting to save the battery to use the Pro Power Onboard feature.

Finally, ‘EV Charge’ turns the combustion engine into a generator to help put juice back into the battery, which might be handy if camped up for several days and wanting to use Pro Power Onboard feature to power appliances.

The Shark 6 also boasts similar V2L capability but comes only in a single high-spec Premium trim, while the Ranger PHEV will be offered in four dual-cab 4x4 ute variants; XLT, Sport, Wildtrak, and Stormtrak.

President and CEO Ford Australia Andew Birkic said the Ranger PHEV was just the tip of the spear for the company’s commercial EV line-up, with the E-Transit Custom and Transit Custom PHEV set to join the existing E-Transit van in the coming months.

“Our Aussie engineering and design team have created a plug-in hybrid that allows diesel ute buyers to begin their electrification journey without sacrificing any of the core capability that they need from a truck – whether they use it for work or play,” Mr Birkic said.

The Ranger PHEV pricing details arrive at a time when the Federal Government is under pressure from some quarters to overturn its decision to roll back the fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption for the vehicles from 1 April.

The FBT exemption was introduced in 2022 to encourage greater EV adoption and included PHEVs, but in October last year the government announced PHEVs would no longer be considered a zero or low-emissions vehicle under FBT law and wouldn’t be eligible for the electric car exemption after 1 April.

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